Tom Meisinger sent some more news about the tornado in Joplin and asks that you keep all of the people there in your prayers…
I was fortunate and was at work on the far SE side of town when the tornado struck and even though it damaged my apartment complex and they have deemed some buildings inhabitable, mine survived with only cosmetic damage since it’s the furthest South.
If you saw the pictures on my sight I only missed severe damage by 100 yards and total loss by 1/4 mile. Of the four units in my building I am the only one who hasn’t permanently left. Tomorrow I’m going to talk to the property manager about their plan. (The office was completely destroyed so they had to relocate to an apartment that was vacant and less damaged) I still don’t have power but I hope it will be restored soon. For now my co-worker has offered his spare bedroom and garage to store my stuff if I’m asked to leave.
35 of my co-workers lost their homes and 4 were injured. Fortunately those injured will make a full recovery physically. The only cool thing was that one of my co-workers/friends/mentors talked me into staying in Joplin last Friday night. (I had been considering moving to Springfield or KC because Joplin isn’t a prime location for single males in their 20s) He’s been trying to get me to pray daily to help me through any of life’s problems.
I don’t usually do this but Sunday when I got to work at 4:45pm I said a prayer in my car for God to watch over drivers on the road. I saw the clouds getting dark in the west but I didn’t think anything of it other than it was probably going to rain. At 5:20pm the sirens went off and we went to the basement. The tornado first touched down at 5:40pm. It just goes to show the power of prayer that everyone I know survived and the five people I know personally who lost everything have already seen an outpouring from the community. I’ll see everyone at Heit’s Point.